McDonald coming to the ‘Green’

What if you heard there is new outdoor music venue in Key West with up to 1,200 in seating capacity? And in early 2018, one of the biggest names in music is scheduled to be there. Your first guess is likely the new Key West Amphitheater, right? Guess again.

The new “Sunset Green Event Lawn,” nestled between 24 North and The Gates hotels (all part of The Keys Collection), have announced their newly sodded, open air, venue will host the legendary Michael McDonald on February 28.

“This will be unlike any other concert venue around,” said Lee Sheehan, director of sales and marketing for the Keys Collection. “You have the larger theaters in Miami. There is the intimacy of the Key West Theater. And now you will have amazing acts under the stars, with open air and high energy right here at home.”

However, booking a five-time Grammy winner such as McDonald is no easy task. To do so, the hotel group has partnered with Rams Head Group, which is responsible for many of the marquee performers headlining the Key West Theater over the past several years. And the two say this is just the beginning of what appears to be an incredible lineup of upcoming acts.

“I get excited because it’s a different feel,” said Kelly Norman, marketing and production coordinator for Rams Head Promotions. “We are solely bringing in the artist from a production standpoint. But this outdoor venue allows for an energetic show with a completely different experience.”

The collaboration between the Keys Collection and Rams Head is nothing new. The two have partnered in the past, with the Key West Theater utilizing The Gates Hotel for an array of functions such as housing performers to hosting VIP meet-and-greets. And the two groups say this is just the beginning of what appears to be an incredible lineup of upcoming shows.

“The capacity of the Greens opens us up to a certain tier of music and entertainers,” said Norman. “With a capacity of 278 seats at the Key West Theater, we have been able to boast some incredible names in an extremely intimate setting. But I think people will be amazed at who we will be bringing into Key West at this dynamic venue.”

Tickets for Michael McDonald go on sale beginning Friday, Dec. 8 at noon — visit www.24northhotel.com or call 410-268-4545. The venue will offer a variety of food and beverage options including the Blind Pig food truck, Rum Row and the Toasted Coconut. VIP packages are currently in the works.

Note: Michael McDonald will not be the first event at the newly constructed Sunset Green Event Lawn. The official opening takes place on December 30 with their “Flip-flops and Fireworks” event featuring the band Fuel on Fire. The venue will also be available for weddings, festivals, non-profits and other events.

Britt Myers traded in a life of monetary success, a chiseled body and intellectual enlightenment for a piece of the pie of the Keys Weekly newspapers. He is also the proud parent of an incredible six-year-old and a sucker for Michael Mann movies and convenience store hot dogs.